Madame Dugazon in the Opera “Nina, ou La folle par amour” (Nina, or The Woman Maddened by Love) 1787

This 1787 hand-colored print by French artist Jean François Janinet depicts the actress Madame Dugazon in her role as Nina in the opera “Nina, ou La folle par amour,” by Nicolas Dalayrac. The actress, dressed in a white gown and seated on a bench in a garden setting, was a renowned singer of her time. Janinet, a pioneer in color printing techniques, captured the beauty of Dugazon, highlighting her performance with elegant and expressive details in this piece. The artist's signature is present in the bottom right corner of the print. This print is a rare and significant artifact of 18th-century theater history.